Leela sat comfortably; Fry’s head was rested in the crook of her shoulder and was fast asleep. After the initial awe of being up high, the Ferris wheel ride got very boring very quickly, plus Fry’s energy for the day had been spent. They had spent the last half hour talking about what had happened and they had both forgiven each other and they agreed that they needed to spend more time with each other.Nibbler was curled up in Leela’s lap and he crooned as she petted him. The ground was coming up gradually, the ride was nearly over. Unwillingly, Leela gave Fry a nudge.‘Fry, we’re at the end.’‘Pink pineapples!’ Fry blurted out as he woke up from his dream with a jolt. He stared blared-eyed around him.‘I don’t want to know.’ Leela muttered as she tried to pull him to his feet. She led him out of the ride, Nibbler at their feet.‘We’ve got a couple of hours left, what are we going to do?’ Fry shrugged,‘I dunno; there’s nothing much you can do in your knocked-up state is there?’ Leela rolled her eye.‘Real subtle, Fry.’‘There’s Animal Land,’ suggested Fry.‘I know,’ Leela said, remembering Amy’s comment before, ‘I guess we can go look, but first we should probably put Nibbler in the ship first, he’ll try and eat everything.’

‘Crap… wait, I’ll get this one… crap… gimme another go… aw damnit.’ Fry put down his rifle and kicked the ground. ‘Stupid ducks, sorry Leela.’‘That’s ok Fry, here, give me a go.’ She said placing her money on the counter and picking up the rifle.‘Pfft, c’mon Leela, I already got you that lizard, this is a waste of money…’ he trailed off as Leela snapped one, two, three, four, five ducks off the rail.‘Wells dones to the lady.’ Sal said as he reached for the biggest stuffed animal in the stall. Leela smirked at a scowling Fry over her shoulder before accepting her big pink fluffy gorilla.‘Lucky break.’ She said smoothly as she pulled Fry’s arm around her shoulders.‘Uh-huh.’ Fry dismissed. Leela giggled and kissed his cheek.‘Hey look, Poodle like things.’ Fry said, hoping to distract her. It worked. Leela looked around and squealed with adoration. Shoving her prize into Fry’s arms she forced her way into the crowded store. Fry decided to wait outside.Leela knelt down by part of the display. They were little stuffed creature figurines and they were part dog and part alien. They came in different colours and there were many different ones. Poking them, Leela hoped they weren’t produced like Lovey Bears. After a while she picked out a blue one for Amy and a fiery red one for herself. As she stood in line, she saw the big pink animal she had chosen sitting on a bench clashing with an impatient red head. Leela waved, but Fry didn’t see her through the colourful crowd she was standing in. Stepping forward as the line moved, Leela hoped she wouldn’t be waiting long.Fry sat, flicking bits of loose fluff on the giant toy and munching on a hotdog that had come from a stand that had mercifully past his waiting place. He licked his fingers, wishing he had bought more than one when a shadow fell over him. He gasped and looked up.‘Oh, can’t you leave me alone?’‘Where’s your girlfriend?’ Barb asked sweetly.‘My wife, and that’s none of your business.’ Fry said grumpily, Barb sat down next to him. Fry picked up the stuffed toy and stood up.‘Fry, darling, come, we can leave the irregular one eyed alien and she won’t know…’ Fry didn’t answer; he had walked across the clearing to the shop window in a huff and pressed his nose against the window. The shop was so full of colour that it was difficult to pick where Leela was, normally it would be easy because of her hair. Fry grunted in dismay as the glass started to fog.Leela hurried out of the busy shop and to her surprise Fry was no longer on the bench, but Barb. Leela followed her gaze to see Fry with his face pushed up against the window obviously searching frantically for her. Leela narrowed her eye at Barb; she had no right to stalk him.‘Fry, I’m here.’ She said as she walked up to him. Instantly she could feel Barb’s glare in her direction.‘Leela? Oh thank God, let’s get out of here.’ Fry said casting a nervous glance at the seat Barb occupied. Leela emphasised putting her arm around Fry and led him out of the area.‘So what’d you get?’ Fry asked eagerly, Leela could tell he didn’t want to talk about his unwanted spy.‘A present for Amy and one for myself; they’re so cute!’‘Show me.’ They stopped walking and Leela opened the bag for him to see.‘Amy’s is named Jules and mine is Lucy.’ Fry scooped Leela’s red one out of the bag.‘Cute.’ He said sincerely. Leela gave a start, she realised now why she liked that particular one. Its scruffy fur matched Fry’s hair in shape and colour. Blushing, she stowed it away in the bag before he could notice.‘Hey, what about that boat ride?’ she said in her desperation to change the subject.‘Okay.’ Said Fry, willingly.The line wasn’t long at the swan boat ride, it was becoming late in the day and most people were headed home.‘Last ride, then we should go get Bender and go.’ She told him.‘Yep.’ Said Fry, not really listening, he was still eyeing the bag where Leela had the pooches. She tucked them away in Fry’s show bag and took the stuffed toy which he had been holding. She took his now free hand and waited patiently and observed what she had suggested. The ride looked like a typical romantic boat ride, though heavily animal themed. Most of the people in the line were young couples, some easily animal lovers. The couple in front even had twin piglet costumes. Leela was particularly glad she hadn’t brought Nibbler; he would’ve gone crazy.When it came to their turn in the boat, they clambered in. Immediately, Fry almost went overboard and probably would have if Leela hadn’t pulled him down into the shared seat. She took his bag off of him and put it safely on the floor as the boat moved off into the tunnel.‘What’s this?’ she said bemused, tugging the toffee apple off his knee.‘Oh, so that’s where that went.’‘How long has this been here?’‘I dunno.’ He reached for it, but Leela held it out of his reach, almost accidentally sticking it to the wall.‘Wasn’t there a sign that said ‘no food during the ride’?’‘No?’ said Fry, annoyed, he glared at her. She stared politely back. It took a few minutes for Fry to realise she was teasing. He draped his arms around her, giving her his best pleading eyes.‘Please?’‘Mmm, maybe mphf…’ but she didn’t finish her sentence as Fry pushed his lips to hers. But the kiss was short lived as he pulled back again.‘Please?’ Leela’s mischievous smile turned into a grin and didn’t respond. Fry kissed her again, this time tickling her slightly under her extended arm. Her giggle was muffled against Fry’s lips and her arm came in to stop his tickling and he snatched the candy from her.‘Thankyou!’ he said triumphantly, his arm still around her. He grinned and got stuck (literately) into his toffee apple. Leela laughed and kissed his sticky cheek.‘I’m going to have a rest ok? I need to be awake to drive back.’ Fry muffled response sounded close enough to ‘ok’ for her and she snuggled into his shoulder as his free hand started to trace circles on her back. Drowsiness hit her almost instantly and she closed her eye and enjoyed the free massage as she sunk into the darkness.A pair of eyes glowered with envy at the pair from behind cutesy animal backdrops. The eyes moved with a hidden shadow that darted quickly to a switch point handle and changed the points. Unknown to the lovers, they were veering off the correct track and into a separate tunnel. The wall itself opened as Fry and Leela passed through in their boat before the wall closed again, locking them in.[to be continued…]

It was much darker in the side tunnel and there was no decoration on the walls.‘This ride sucks.’ Fry said quietly to himself, managing to finally unglue his jaw from the toffee apple.[crappy illustration warning]He glanced down the side of the boat, and to his surprise they were no longer in the water, but the boat had wheels and was running on the track. Suddenly, without warning, the cart stopped completely.‘Whatz goin on?’ Leela asked groggily, the stopping of the cart having jerked her out of her slumber.‘I dunno; you stay here.’ Fry said as he climbed out of the boat. Leela watched confusedly as he checked the boat-cart from the outside.‘This is really odd… Leela stay.’‘I wanna see.’ Said Leela as she picked Fry’s show bag and her giant toy out of the cart and sliding down the side of it. Fry took her hand, something wasn’t right and it wasn’t good for Leela to be right in the middle of it all.‘Maybe we should go back.’ Leela suggested pulling on his hand. Fry obediently followed. They soon arrived at where the cart had come out of the water.‘Come on!’ they splashed through the shallow water until they came to a solid wall.‘This can’t be right.’‘Maybe we should go forward, I don’t think the ride would have gone on for much longer. They quickly ran back through the water and kept on running for ages.‘Where’s our cart? Surely it wasn’t this far ahead.’‘Wait a second, I need a break.’ Fry sat down on the damp ground; it was hard enough to keep up with the fit Leela and be able to breathe at the same time. Leela stood and just thought.‘Isn’t it weird, we haven’t seen another cart?’‘Maybe we fell down a hole?’‘Don’t be stupid Fry.’‘Am not.’ Leela sighed in exasperation.‘Let’s just see where this track heads too alright?’ she pulled Fry to his feet and started off at a slower pace so Fry wouldn’t tire as fast. They soon came to another solid wall.‘Where… are we?’‘Leela, come away from the wall, I don’t like it.’‘Fry, it’s just a wall.’‘I don’t care, I don’t like it.’ Rolling her eye, Leela let herself to be led by Fry back to the exact centre of the tunnel. Where there were some crates lying scattered among the place. Fry took his show bag and the pink gorilla and placed them on the crate.‘Right, we have to ration this food until someone finds us, you can have the apple’ he said, showing the remains on the toffee apple stick, ‘and I’ll have the Snapple because you won’t like them…’‘Fry, stoppit with the candy, I can call Bender.’ she said and tapped her wrist console. She pushed a few buttons before a small buzzing sounded and Bender’s voice broke through the static.‘Who are you and why should I care?’‘Bender! It’s Leela, Fry and I are trapped in the animal love tunnel somewhere…’‘Ooh, got a little of the discovery channel?’‘What?! No! Something’s gone wrong and we need your help.’‘How much?’‘All my candy and friendshiply love!’ Fry interjected.‘I was thinking more fifty bucks each.’‘Bender!’ cried Leela indignantly‘Oh, and an extra twenty for the kid to be.’‘No bargaining until you’ve done the job.’ Leela hissed, ‘and you won’t get anything at all unless you move your metal ass now.’‘Alright, keep your boots on; I’m a coming, Bender out!’‘Oh thank God we’re saved!’ Fry cried.‘Even so, we need to keep an eye out for anyone else, you stay here, I’ll check out the track.’ Leela crept out into the middle of the area and stepped over the first rail.‘Be careful!’ Fry’s voice echoed through the tunnel. Leela hissed at him.‘Quiet!’ she whispered, ‘I thought I saw something move, so shutup.’‘What?’ Fry yelled, making Leela cringe.‘Shutup!’‘What? I can’t hear you, there’s an echo in here!’ Suddenly an engine revved, making them both jump. Leela froze; there was a machine on the tracks in front of her that must have appeared when they were visiting the other end of the cave.‘Fry…’ she whispered fearfully. Suddenly bright headlights switched on high beam, temporarily blinding her. She heard the engine roar again, and this time it stayed on and became closer and closer. She tried to shield her eyes from the light, but it became lighter as the noise grew louder. Fry’s voice calling her name rang out and echoed in her ears before something soft connected with her and roughly shoved her out of the light and she rolled on the dusty floor.

Metallic hands helped a disoriented Leela to her feet,‘Are you ok?’ Bender asked worriedly‘I-I think so…’‘Good, you owe me.’‘Where’s Fry? I want Fry.’‘Uh… Fry’s busy, you stay here.’ Bender affectionately patted her shoulder before moving back to the machine that sat in the middle of the cave, he stepped around it and gave Leela a glance before disappearing behind it. Leela blinked at the cave; it no longer seemed spooky as lights lit the dull scene, a doorway in the way gave suggestion that’s where Bender had come from. What surprised her most were Barb and Ken being forced onto the ground by Smitty and URL wielding guns and handcuffs.‘She stole him from me!’‘She was a lying…’‘He could have loved me!’‘Little…’‘Shove a cram in it you two, you’re off to deal with some law enforcement.’‘Oh yeah.’ URL seized them by their collars and headed out the door, followed by Smitty. In the quiet, Leela could hear Bender whispering to someone on the other side of the contraption. She stood quietly and took a step toward it.Bright light, all around, the headlights on that, it must’ve been.She took another couple of steps.Coming closer, becoming brighter, God, it was headed straight for meShaking slightly, Leela walked slowly on,Fry’s voice, shouting, he could see it, what could he do?Leela glanced at the headlightsIt was so close, and then someone came at me… and pushed me to safety, they save my life but whom.She paused, Bender’s whispered voice was clearer and it was panicked.‘Wake up damnit, big boots’ll get all dependant on me, come on buddy.’ Leela took a sharp intake of breath as it came to her,His voice, his hands, the orange blur…‘Oh no…’Fry lay, crumpled on the ground; he had taken the full brunt of the blow for her, and their unborn child.[to be continued…]

‘Spleesh Leela, it’s not your fault, there was nothing you could have done.’ Amy sat with her friend, a comforting arm around her shoulders.‘Yeah, it’s all Fry’s fault, he jumped into it.’ Bender said sarcastically.‘To save me, to prevent anything from happening to me.’ She shouted angrily at him, tears splashed down her front.‘Alright, enough with the water works; you’re not the only one worried.’ Bender said frustrated. He tapped anxiously on the chair, his eyes solidly watching the emergency door.‘Don’t worry, soon he will release his fertilizer pressure and all will be well.’ Zoidberg warbled.‘Moron.’ Bender muttered, he got up and started pacing.‘Bender, you’re making me more nervous.’‘Your point being?’ ‘Leela, loosen your grip, you’re crushing my fingers.’ Amy whined,‘Sorry.’ Said Leela, in a tone that said she wasn’t. She stood up and joined Bender in pacing.‘Wanna go for a walk?’‘Yeah, alright.’ Bender and Leela stepped outside where Bender lit up his cigar. Leela wrinkled her nose and stepped around him so she was upwind of him.‘So how’d you find us?’‘Eh, I had to break out first,’ he said casually flicking the cigar, ‘Ken had locked me up with his stuff.’‘And did you take any of his stuff?’‘The point is,’ Bender said pointedly veering away from Leela’s question. ‘Is that he trapped me in there; he obviously didn’t know how great I was.’‘Obviously,’ Leela echoed sarcastically, ‘how’d you find us?’‘That thing,’ He said, pointing to Leela’s wrist console, ‘Gave me a signal when you called me, so all I had to do was follow that and there you were.’‘Thanks for coming.’‘Hey, I didn’t do it for nothing.’ He stopped walking and held out his hand expectantly. Leela rolled her eye.‘I’ll give you something later… when you give my wallet back.’ Bender sheepishly produced her wallet.‘It was on the floor!’ he protested under her glare.‘And since you’ve helped yourself to it, you won’t be getting any extra.’ She said as she ruffled through the now empty pocket. She made off back to hospital furiously. Bender paused, thinking, before he darted off after her.‘Oi, One-Eye, I’ve got something that you might want.’ He managed to catch up with her and held a small brown bag out to her.‘Is this yours?’ Leela did a double take, and pulled the two poochers out of the bag Bender had given her. She gave a slight sob before seizing Bender by the head.‘Oh Bender, you do care!’‘Hey! Get off! Someone might see me.’ He managed to pull himself free of Leela’s grasp with difficulty. He quickly glanced around to make sure no one was looking. Leela looked at the robot with adoration; he had funny ways of showing affection and sympathy and often backs it up with an excuse for personal need. But he’d given a lot of things to her and the biggest one was letting her have his best friend.‘Come on, Bender; let’s go see how Fry’s going.’‘Yeah, whatever.’

‘Five broken ribs, broken arm, some fractures to his collarbone, dislocated shoulder and a sprained wrist.’ A doctor went down the list of injuries Fry had received. ‘No permanent damage was sustained. We expect him to wake up within the next two hours.’Leela let out the breath she was holding; she had been in a panic that Fry wouldn’t have lived. She leant wearily on Amy.‘When can we see him?’‘Relatives only until he wakes up, and only two at a time.’‘Only relatives?’ Bender seized the man by the collar. ‘What sort of stupid rule is that?’‘Bender put him down.’ Leela said taking the robot by shoulders, ‘You can come in with me.’ Muttering, Bender released the doctor who backed away from the mad robot.‘Room C3PO.’ He said nervously as he backed out of the waiting room.‘Do you want me to wait?’ Amy asked checking her watch.‘Nah, we’ll be right, thanks for coming.’ Leela gave Amy an appreciative hug as Bender tapped his foot impatiently.‘Hurry up, the transporter is coming.’Leela and Bender stepped into the vacant space, similar to a lift or elevator.‘Ooh, hello.’ Bender said, eyeing the control panel. He reached out to stroke it, but Leela slapped his wrist.‘There’s no time for that.’ She scolded. ‘Room C3PO.’ She said clearly to the microphone.‘Requested room found, please wait while we transport you there.’ A smooth female voice projected. Bender let out an inappropriate giggle. Leela seized the safety bar as the transporter suddenly dropped; making her feel like her stomach was left behind, it shuddered to a halt and then shunted across sideways.‘Whee!’ Bender wasn’t bothering to hold on; he stood in the middle of the room in a surfing stance. Leela closed her eye, she felt the strange feeling in her stomach again, the feeling that she was going to be sick.‘Please slow down.’ She whispered.‘Slowing down.’ The lift responded, and to Leela’s surprise and relief, it slowed right down.‘What?’ Bender turned to her with an annoyed expression as she straightened up.‘I don’t feel well.’‘But…’‘I don’t feel well.’ She said, emphasising each word, making no room for Bender to argue. Bender scowled and started to sulk.‘Party pooper.’ The lift shuddered to a stop again and started an upward descent.‘Arriving at destination, Room C3PO, thankyou for choosing me.’‘Thank YOU babe.’ Bender said sexfully to the console, Leela sighed as the transporter and Bender giggled.‘Are you coming?’‘Yeah, yeah.’ Bender followed Leela into a small corridor. Across the hall was a door marked ‘C3PO’.‘I guess he’s in here.’ Leela said, but she didn’t go in, images flashed across her mind of the last time she had seen him; crushed and disjointed. She stood still, trembling. Bender sighed and rolled his eyes.‘Humans.’ He took her by the arm and led her into the room.Fry lay unconsciously in a hospital bed. His upper torso and left arm were wrapped tightly in bandages and his right arm was in a thick cast. The neck brace making it all seem more ridiculous.‘Oh Fry.’ Leela sat in a vacant chair by his side and rested her hand on his forehead. His face was covered in small scratches and he bore a bruise on his cheek which she gently kissed. Bender stood on the other side, watching quietly as Leela gently grasped Fry’s uncasted hand.

‘I’m walking on sunshine whoa-oh, I’m walking on sunshine whoa-oh, it’s time to feel good, hey, alright now, it’s time to feel good, hey, alright now! … Whoa, where am I?’Fry’s vision was blurred and fuzzy as he opened his eyes coming into consciousness. He had enjoyed the song that was buzzing around in his head, but now his head had started to hurt. In fact all of him was starting to hurt, despite feeling numb. He couldn’t move his neck, and his whole upper body felt like lead. Memories of bright light and toffee apples zoomed around his fuzzy brain which could not make sense of anything at all. Familiar voices came from far off, trying to reach him. He could hear and understand certain words, but put together, it didn’t make much sense to him.‘… waking… I… Fry, hear…’‘… chumpette…’‘Shut-up, Bender.’‘Bite… ass…’‘…Fry… hand…’Fry could suddenly feel another hand on his own, he tried to squeeze it, but he found that it hurt too much.‘Look! Fry’s hand twitched.’‘You’re … things Leela.’Fry gritted his teeth and squeezed his hand through the pain.‘Ow! Oh my God, did you see that? Fry, can you hear me?’‘You’re hurting me.’ Fry barely whispered, trying to peer through the blurriness. ‘Bender, get off his leg.’ He did so, grumbling.‘I can’t move.’‘You’re in a lot of bandages, don’t move, just relax; I’m here.’ She leant in to gently kiss Fry’s cheek again, and he winced in pain.‘Not so rough!’‘Why’d you do it Fry?’ Bender asked.‘Do what?’‘Jump in front of the truck?’‘What? Oh that!’ Fry tried to sit up, but found Leela pushing him into the pillows.‘Stay down.’‘I’m not comfortable.’‘You tell us what happened and I’ll fluff your pillows.’ Leela busied herself with the pillows at Fry’s head.‘Well, I saw the truck and Leela, and she wasn’t moving anywhere, and it was going to get her, so I moved her out of the way.’ He said proudly. Leela sniffled from somewhere behind him.‘You could have died.’‘Well I’d have preferred that than loosing you and the baby.’ He said sincerely.‘Oh.’ Said Bender disappointed, ‘You were being… what is it? Self-sacrificial? Pfft.’ Bender crossed his arms in annoyance.‘There’s nothing I don’t do without pay, which reminds me.’ He held out his palm to Fry. Fry ignored him; he had other concerns.‘Leela, you can stop fluffing the pillows.’ Leela stopped; the pillows had nearly swallowed Fry in their fluffiness.‘Oh good you’re awake,’ said a nurse walking in, ‘I’m going to need to do a check-up.’ She said as she slipped past Bender. She proceeded to stick a thermometer in his mouth, check his eyes and his ears. With Leela’s help, she pulled Fry into a sitting position and pushed her stethoscope to his back. Fry immediately bust into giggles.‘Heehee, that’s cold, oh God it hurts to laugh!’ he said cringing, ‘hee hee ha - ow, ha hee hee - ooch, hee ha – ooh…’

Ze end of part one; Stay tuned for the sequel! With more pictures! I promise!

Originally posted by jle1993:Ohh, nice update, I'm so glad Fry's gonna be okay, the hee hee ouch thing was really funny and I was deeply touched by the Bender/Leela friendship. I like it, a lot, I definetly read the sequel.

Quote

Originally posted by Freela: Hey, you nearly killed Fry off your story! lol more plz

There you are wrong, I didn't nearly kill Fry, I did kill Fry. I only added the loophole because of the death threats I recieved via email, it was most upsetting

Bender; We're going to a party, we're going to a party...Amy; Remember Bender, we gotta stick together so nothing bad happens, right Leela?Leela; Fry, stop perving.Fry; [suave]What? Me? Perving? How dare you suggest such a thing.Leela; Hello? My eye is up here!

I designed Leela's outfit before I tried it on the computer, it took the longest to do. And if you read the alien writing it says 'TLF', that outfit is officially Copywrited to me.

>< Grr! I forgot to change the colour from RGB to CMYK! That's why Bender's colour are so off. Oh well... just say they're at the entrace and there's coloured spolights flashing around and Bender's standing in a green one.

Leela gasped and sat up in her bed in surprise, her hand going directly to her stomach which was swollen with her obvious pregnancy. She cringed.‘Oh God, not now.’Next to her, Fry murmured and turned over in his undisturbed sleep. His calm and peaceful face was revealed in the moonlight creeping through the curtain, the least Leela wanted to do was disturb him; he had done so much for her. But as the moments went quickly by she realised she had no choice.‘Fry.’ She whispered fearfully, but to no response. She reached over and gave his shoulder a short shake.‘Fry, please…’ Fry gave a grunt and tried to wave her off.‘Wake up, please, I need you to wake up.’‘Wassamatter?’ Fry slurred sleepily.‘I need to go to the hospital, the baby’s coming.’

Futurama: Family Fry: Part 2: Panic at the DiscoCaption: FEAR the foreshadowing, and whenever Leela runs red lights.

‘I came as fast as I could.’‘Well you suck at being fast.’‘Well you suck at being discreet.’‘You suck. Bender’s great, chumpette so deal with it.’‘Gleesh, you’re so immature.’‘Can you please shut the hell up?!’ Fry had his head buried in his arms, his body tense and shaking with anxiety, his frustrated words spat from gritted teeth. Amy slid into the seat next to him and put a comforting hand on his back.‘Relax; I’m sure Leela’s going to be fine.’ Fry put his hands down into his lap. His eyes were glazed with tears that threatened to overflow. He fingered the gold ring on his finger.‘I know, I just feel really nervous… and scared… and worried…’‘How about we play a game? Bender, did you bring a game?’‘Nah, board games are really boring.’ He said casually. Much to Amy’s surprise Fry sniggered.‘Board games are boring.’ He echoed amusedly to himself. Amy gave him an odd look which he was oblivious to.‘Look, chumpette, there’s ways of amusing Fry and at the same time amusing ones self.’ Bender pulled out a cigar and lit a match by swiping it on the ‘no smoking’ sign.‘We were doing fine until you showed up.’‘I’m here because Leela requested I be here to help Fry not be worried.’‘I’m here because I felt like it.’ Bender snapped, blowing smoke into her face.‘And the best way to help Fry is to distract him.’ Amy glared at him and then glanced at Fry who was still chuckling to himself.‘If you want a game, then here’s a distracting game.’ Bender said as he dug through his chest cavity and produced a pack of cards.‘Get him to teach you how to build a pyramid.’

‘Mrs Fry?’Leela opened her eye to see a friendly faced doctor standing over her accompanied by a robot nurse.‘Mrs. Fry, the birthing was a success, the baby’s general health seems to be in order and you’re just as fine.’ Leela nodded numbly, she was extremely tired, but sleep was not on her first priority.‘I want Fry.’ The nurse gave her an odd look before consulting her clipboard, but she didn’t know what she was looking for.‘Fry…?’‘My husband, Philip Fry.’ A note of urgency was notable in Leela’s voice, and the nurse quickly hurried out to get him. Leela bit her lip, fighting sleep and tears, knowing she would be stronger once Fry was there. She heard a far off cry; she wouldn’t have to wait much longer to have her baby in her arms. Her lifelong dreams come true, a loving family of her own. Parents, a loving spouse and the start of a new generation. She was both ecstatic and terrified.

‘Has she laid her fertilised eggs yet?’‘Who asked you to come?’‘I’m a doctor, I don’t need to be asked to come.’ A proud Zoidberg missed the looks of scepticism on his audience’s faces. A distraction soon directed attention elsewhere.‘Sploops! Sorry Fry.’ Amy had bumped the stack of cards Fry had cleverly crafted and it simply folded and spread out all over the floor. Fry wasn’t put off.‘Fifty-two pickup!’ he shouted with glee and dove for the cards and sending them flying.‘Fry mon?’ Hermes and the professor walked into the waiting room, and were understandably surprised to see Fry sprawled on the floor, trying to snatch up cards and sending them into the air.‘What on earth are you doing down there?’‘Playing a game.’ Fry puffed as he snatched at the plastic paper. Hermes looked at Amy who shrugged and at Bender who was laughing himself silly at Fry.‘Told you.’ He said to Amy.‘Get off the floor you loony.’ The professor scolded him, ‘Now where’s Leela?’‘In the delivery room.’ Fry said as he clambered to his feet; most of the cards slipping out of his grasp as he did so. He glanced at the clock, and stopped. The grin slid off his face and he let the cards he was holding slide to the floor.‘Oh God, she’s been in there for over an hour!’ he sat down in the middle of the strewn cards and feebly sobbed. Bender slapped his forehead.‘One rule; never mention the words; ‘Leela, Captain, One-Eye, Big Boots, purple or mouse in front of him.’ He said angrily.‘Why not mouse?’ Hermes asked. In response, Bender looked up. Fry clung to the stationary ceiling fan, frantically glancing nervously about the floor.‘Oh.’

‘Oh my God, Leela are you alright?’ Fry reached out to his beloved and she almost crushed him in her fierce grip. Tears spilled, but they were not Leela’s, Fry nervously sniffled, trying to wipe his eyes clear and comfortingly stroke her hair at the same time proving it to be impossible for him to coordinate. Hearing Fry dissolving seemed to strengthen Leela’s resolve and she pulled him to arm’s length to look him in the eyes.‘Pull yourself together.’‘I-I…’‘That’s an order Fry, I don’t need you to be like this.’ Fry stopped straight away, almost too fearful to cry. Leela’s firm expression softened, she felt stronger, and she could see the colour returning to Fry’s face as he was filled with relief that she was still acting normal.‘I’m sorry, it just feels like I’ve been waiting forever… here, I brought you this.’ Fry dug into his pocket and pulled out Leela’s stuffed pet poocher; Lucy. Leela took it as Fry snuggled in for a more snugly hug. Leela had no objections and she rested her heavy head in the familiar crook of his neck. It was soft and spongy like a pillow, a warm inviting pillow. She closed her eye, she felt as if she could fall asleep there and sleep for ages, but a soft gurgling brought her back to consciousness. She gasped and raised her head to see the nurse waiting patiently; holding a small bundle. The sound caught Fry’s ears moments later and he snapped around with a surprised gasp of his own as the nurse stepped towards them.‘Congratulations Mr and Mrs Fry, it’s a girl.’‘Oh God, she’s beautiful.’A small fingered hand wrapped around Fry’s finger. The newborn was light and delicate; her fair features lightened as she laid her newly opened eyes to her parents. Under the small tuft of red hair, both her eyes widened and a toothless grin spread across her pouty lips. Fry was on the verge of fainting.‘She looks like me.’‘Thank God.’ Leela traced her daughter’s eyelids and watching her reflexively blink. She was glad that her mutant gene had been over ridden and she had two normal eyes. The nurse stood by, giving them a moment to bond before interrupting.‘I hate to interrupt, but there’s a medical matter to be dealt with.’ Leela gave a start and worriedly waited, wondering if they had worked out she was mutant.‘Obviously, Mrs. Fry, you’ve got a slight physical hindrance, and I’m afraid that it’s been passed on. Your daughter, although she has two eyes can only see out of her… left eye.’‘Is that a problem?’ Fry seemed less shocked by the news.‘If you want a severe case of depth perception and being considered to be different... in other words, a freak.’ She said offhandedly to Fry as if Leela wasn’t in the room.‘I fail to see the problem.’ Fry’s voice became very cold and distrustful. The nurse shrugged.‘It’s your kid; you do what you want with it.’ She walked out of the room, pulling a cigarette out as she did so.‘Did you think of a name?’‘Say what?’‘I asked you before we got to the hospital for you to think of a name.’‘Oh yeah…’‘Did you think of one?’‘Yeah… but Yancy’s a boy’s name.’ A moment of silence passed between them.‘You were going to name him after your brother? That’s so sweet!’‘Yeah, well he did the same for me.’‘But she’s a girl, not a boy.’‘Yeah.’They watched their daughter, held in Leela’s arms. She cheerfully chirped and drooled all over her chin. Leela kissed her lightly on her forehead, as she did so, she noticed her hand was still clutched tightly around her small orange poocher which she had purchased just after she knew she had fallen pregnant. She stared at the monumental prize as it came to her.‘Lucy.’ She whispered.‘What’d you say?’‘Lucy,’ she said with a clearer and more confident voice, ‘Lucy Munda Fry.’[to be continued…]

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